Chapter Four
The Amadee Estate
Both Gages took a stand ready to defend themselves, Trivette and Sumner had drawn guns as had Amadee's people, the only one not to move was Walker. "Going to make another fatal mistake?" the seasoned ranger asked.
"What are you talking about? I'm holding all the cards, you're in my house," Amadee emphasized.
"You think I came in here to leave myself totally exposed to you?" Walker shot back. "At this moment there isn't one of your operations here in Dallas that my people aren't ready to put out of business. I have people placed in all facets of the law enforcement agencies, the Gages here are my connection in the Texas Rangers. Sydney really isn't my daughter anymore then Gage is Teddy Rankin. And unlike you I know where my daughter is," he finished his speech.
"My daughter is upstairs in her room," Amadee sneered.
"You're sure about that are you?" Walker smirked back.
Giving Joey a sideways look he jerked his head for the bodyguard to get upstairs and check on Torrie.
"That's right Ray you better go check on her," Walker taunted.
A moment later Joey was back, "She ain't here Boss she left a note, says she went to the club," he told him holding it out for Amadee to grab from his hand.
Snatching up his cellphone he began to dial. The phone at the other end rang three times before it was answered, not by his daughter but by another female voice. "Who are you and where is Victoria?" he shouted into the phone.
"I'm Amber Marston, Torrie is just fine and she'll stay that way as long as I don't hear of anything happening to my father or any of his people," the sultry voice at the other end of the line told him.
"Is this some kind of a joke?" Amadee snarled.
"Do you hear me laughing?" the voice hissed back breaking the connection.
"If anything happens to my daughter..." Amadee hollered taking a step towards Walker.
"You'll what?" Walker retaliated grabbing hold of the front of Amadee's shirt and yanking him forward.
Amadee stared blankly at Walker for a moment before asking, "What'd ya want from me?"
"Well now I was interested in maybe doing some business with you here in Dallas that's why I sent Billy in to check you out," Walker retorted.
"Your boy Billy was DEA," Amadee cautiously told him.
Walker began to laugh suddenly turning cold and serious. "Oh yeah he was DEA all right, he was my boy in the DEA," he thundered out. "You did away with one of my best people and cut out one of my best connections on the inside, he kept my operations from being brought down. He almost had me convinced that merging with you people was the right thing to do, but then you get wrapped up with Dominique Sayer and her need for revenge. She's going to be your down fall."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Tell him Gage," Walker turned things over to his ranger.
"You killed my brother-in-law," Gage spit out, "You left my sister a widow, my nephew fatherless and you are going to pay for it both you and Dominique. I should have killed her when I had the chance, taken her out when she wanted me to kill Ricky," he lamented.
"Don't worry Gage you were young and naïve then, now that you're more seasoned you'll have your chance," Walker assured him.
"Yeah well my sister still paid a high price for my high ideals," he mumbled.
"That isn't going to happen this time," Walker smiled resting his hand on Gage's shoulder before once again addressing Amadee. "You my friend are going to make amends for killing Billy Deets and bring Dominique down in the process," Walker informed him.
"You can't be serious," Amadee sputtered out.
Taking two steps towards Amadee Walker thundered out, "That's exactly why I'm here."
"A life for a life," Amadee snapped.
"No life is worth Dominique Sayer's life," Walker's words were cold and calculating.
"I'm not talking about her, do what you want with her, it's Torrie her life is worth everything to me," Amadee pleaded. "What if I could give you back Billy Deets?"
"And just how do you purpose to do that?"
"He's not dead. He's all part of an elaborate scheme to get at your man Gage and his sister," Amadee began rattling off. "I've had him stashed for months and was suppose to deliver his wife and kid along with you and your wife to Dominique when she gets out Friday."
"Why you…" Gage didn't have to act his true anger was coming to a heated boil as he took a step towards Amadee.
"Gage," once again Walker stepped in stopping the ranger in his tracks. With Syd's hand on his arm he kept his temper in check, Walker turning back to Amadee. "If Deets is alive we need proof, proof of life isn't that what the terrorists call it?" he half grinned out.
"That isn't a problem I can take you to him," Amadee was quick to get out.
"Like we're going any where with you so you can lead us into some sort of trap. You really do take me for a fool don't you?" Walker demanded a look of amusement coming over his face.
Before Amadee could answer one of his people came to the doorway. "Jake's back," he reported.
"Is he now?" Gage cut in saying "Allow Sydney and I to take care of that little weasel."
"I need you here," Walker answered him jerking his head in Sumner's direction the younger ranger immediately going out to stop Jake from making his untimely appearance.
Leaving the room gun still in hand Sumner went towards the front door where he could see and hear Jake sounding off at Joey. His back faced Sumner and with all the spouting off he was doing he failed to hear Sumner come up behind him until it was too late. With one quick motion the ranger brought the butt of his gun down on the back of Jake's head instantly bringing Torreno to the floor in blessed silence.
"Hey who the hell do you think you are?" Joey questioned Sumner taking the defensive.
"One of the guys in charge around here, at least my boss is. I was just doing what I was told which is more then Jake here can do," Sumner answered the man. "I owed him that and more he continued weaving his cover story. "Me and Jake go way back, I trusted him around my business and my girl, it's a mistake I made but won't be making again. Mr. Marston knows Jake too, sent me out here to get him out of the way, says he has no room in his organization for the likes of Jake Torreno."
Joey just gawked at Sumner not knowing whether to believe him or not. "Don't just stand there," Sumner barked, "Give me a hand getting him into the trunk." Joey stood there a moment more before going to help Sumner lift Jake up and carry him outside to deposit in the trunk of the car.
"If his buddy from last night's caper comes back here don't bother the boss with it just take the guy out of circulation until I get back here to take care of him," Sumner warned before getting in the car to depose of Jake Torreno.
"You got it," Joey agreed still not sure what was going on here but wanting to keep his nose clean and on the good side who ever came out ahead on this mess.
Shortly There After…
Sumner had hardly pulled back in the driveway from delivering Jake Torreno over to the federal authorities when two of Amadee's people along with Trivette came racing out the front door. "What's up?" he questioned his partner.
"Get back in the car and I'll explain," Trivette answered not wanting to loose Joey and his partner.
As Sumner put the car in gear he once again tried, "What gives?" he quizzed.
"We're going to get Chafe," Trivette simply stated feeling the car accelerate as Sumner stepped on the gas peddle harder so not to loose Joey who was in the car ahead of them.
"You really think he's alive?" Sumner questioned his eyes fixed to the car ahead of them.
"We better hope that he is or we're walking into a trap," Trivette answered his eyes not leaving Joey's car ahead of them. "Just be ready for anything," he added.
"You don't have to tell me twice," Sumner reiterated his foot pressing on the gas to keep up with the speeding car ahead of them.
Sydney And Gage's Home
Julie sat quietly rocking Michael's buggy back and forth having just got the infant to sleep. She knew outside two guards were posted thanks to Walker and the rangers and they were as safe as they could possibly be under the circumstances yet still something was gnawing at her. She shifted in position her mind still wandering as she gazed at her young nephew Dakota who was playing on the floor in front of her all ready having forgotten what had happened the previous night. Unlike Cody the events were ever present in her mind. She knew she must have ruffled someone's feathers in the past to have them come after her but for the life of her she couldn't think of who that would be.
Her speculation was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone and she quickly grabbed it up for fear the noise would wake Michael. "Hello Gage residence," she repeated into the phone.
"Julie it's been a very long time," a soft sultry voice came on the line all most freezing Julie's blood. There was no mistaking the voice on the other end of the line she knew instantly that it was her old college roommate Dominique Sayer.
"Dominique," Julie's own voice was no more then a whisper as terror crept into her body and soul.
"You remember me I'm flattered," Dominique continued noting the fear in Julie's voice. "Do you also remember what you and your brother did to me and my family?"
"What do you want?" Julie questioned standing her ground her eyes riveted to her son, her heart beating out of her chest.
"To rob you of what you and Frankie robbed me of," Dominique hissed into the phone.
"We didn't rob you of anything what happened to you was your own doing," Julie stood her ground.
A maniacal laugh went up from the other end of the phone cut quickly with dead silence and Dominique's cool calm monstrous voice, "I'm going to stripe you and your brother of everything you have then lock you away, imprison you until you have suffered as much as I have."
The line went dead Julie not moving her hand still clutching the phone as Chris came through the door. "Aunt Julie are you all right?" Chris questioned seeing her pale face her knuckles white as she clutched the receiver. "Aunt Julie," Chris repeated prying the phone from her hand, "What is it?"
"Oh my God it was her, she killed Robin, she's going to make your father and I pay…" Julie's voice trailed off.
"Who Aunt Julie? Who's going to make you and Dad pay and for what?" Chris questioned trying to understand what she was talking about.
"That's what I was talking about when you were a baby," Julie began to ramble still making no sense to Chris.
"Aunt Julie what? What happened when I was a baby?"
"She was a friend of mine, your Dad and Mom put her away but now she's out… she killed Robin."
"Aunt Julie please what are you talking about?"
Ray Amadee's Estate
The tension at Amadee's poolside could have been cut with a knife as they all waited for Sumner and Trivette to call. Amadee sat at the patio table drumming his fingers impatiently. "If anything happens to Victoria…" he started to say only to be cut off by Gage
"Your daughter is being treated with a lot more consideration then you gave mine and Sydney's kids," he growled through gritted teeth taking a stand in front of Amadee leaning across the table getting in his face. "You would have killed our kids without a second thought." Gage's face was reddening with anger all over again at the thought of Amadee's people going after his family.
"That's different," Amadee shouted jumping to his feet.
"Just how the hell do you figure that's different?" Gage shouted back his voice just as loud.
"Why you dirty…" Amadee was all ready reaching for Gage's throat only to feel the ranger's fist connecting with his jaw.
Sydney immediately took up position behind her husband ready to come to his defence if need be, she too wanting to get a piece of Ray Amadee.
"Knock it off all of you," Walker's voice sounded above the din, "This isn't helping anyone and since we all might be working together in the near future I suggest we all learn to get along."
Both Amadee and Gage stopped neither taking their eyes off the other as Walker's words began to register. Gage didn't know what his boss had in mind but one thing he did know was that he had a plan to take this lowlife down along with his partner Dominique Sayer.
"Gage," Syd's hand was on the small of his back. Standing a moment more his glare still focused on Amadee Gage finally backed down taking a step back.
"All right Mr. Marston," he finally conceded directing his next comment to Amadee, "But if Robin isn't alive you and I are going to finish this."
"The likes of you don't scare me," Amadee got the last word in even though it wasn't entirely true. No Gage didn't scare him that was true enough but John Marston he was an entirely different matter. Marston was holding his daughter and if anything happened to her… he didn't finish his thought instead with clenched fists he forced himself to sit back down in his seat.
